Senses
by Happymood
Summary: There are five steps that lead to love. The first one is to listen to what the other has to say... Little Drarry fic. R&R DISCONTINUED
1. Listen

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**Author's notes: This is set in Harry's sixth year. To tell you the absolute truth it does and it does not disregard the 6th book or the 7th one. The epilogue never happened, thought. Hope you'll like it. Please read and review. Flames will be used to fry eggs and bacon. **

**Rated for a lot of bad words. **

"_If you wish to know the mind of a man, listen to his words".__ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.  
_

Listen

Draco Malfoy had had a very happy childhood. As an only child he could have whatever he desired. No wish of his would be ignored and if one of his toys broke, ten more would take its place. Since he was little his mother told him that he was their little prince, perfect and beautiful. His father always told him that one day he was to become a leader. He was bound not to kneel down and bow his head to anyone.

"And as a leader you shall not show any weaknesses to your followers. Because if they see you cry in front or them or show even the slightest mercy they sure will not take you seriously and as a result your orders won't be carried out. Do you understand, my boy?"

"Yes, dad…".

And so when in front of others Draco learned to keep his face neutral, maybe even cold, so no one could come near enough to know him better, to figure out what the boy was really thinking. He learned to talk diplomatically to others, especially to his parent's friends. He learned to know what an other person expected for him, what he or she wanted to see before deciding they liked him or not, and acted accordingly.

But even if outside his house he had to follow certain rules, inside he could be whatever he wanted. Draco could laugh, make noise, jump and break things without anyone scolding him. He was free. He was spoiled.

As an only child he didn't know how to talk to the other children with the same ability he had with grownups and, consequently, he didn't have many friends. But that wasn't so much of a problem to him as he preferred spending time with his parents more than anyone else. Draco remembered that when he was little his father would always play with him. His father had been the one who had taught him to ride his first broom when Draco was only four. That had been one of the best days of his life, he still remembered the feeling of the cool air on his face, the disappointment when, as much as he tried, he just couldn't touch the sky and the clouds. He had been happy then.

Draco wished he could turn back time and return to those days when the concept of the war still didn't existed in his four years old mind.

He was seven when he heard the Dark Lord's name for the first time. His parents were having a debate about regarding the Dark Lord's returning. He could still hear his mother's voice cracking and he still remembered her exiting his father's study in a hurry without a word. In that moment Draco had hated the Dark Lord with all his heart for hurting her so much.

However the first time he had discovered Voldemort existence had been the first time he had heart Harry Potter's name too. The more he eavesdropped what Potter had done when he had been only one year old all the more Draco admired the other boy. For then on every time he heard Potter's name he would smile widely to himself, proud, and when he heard his father telling him that they were going to attend Hogwarts together Draco had been enthusiastic. He had told his father so one day as they walked together around Diagon Alley.

Lucius Malfoy had looked down at him with a frown and had told him that he shouldn't be so eager to be their enemy's friend. Harry Potter was their rival. He had caused the destruction of their master Voldemort. He should pay for that.

Draco didn't understand. How could Harry Potter be their enemy? As far as he knew he hadn't been the one that made his mother cry, Harry Potter wasn't the one killing his father in his mother's dreams because he had failed him. And moreover he wasn't the one who made his calm and composed father nervous! Little Draco had kept his thoughts for himself.

From the day Voldemort's name had been pronounced for the first time after so many years everything hadn't been the same again in the Malfoy's mansion. Suddenly, his father stopped playing with him and started spending instead all his time in his study talking to strangers that came and go whenever they pleased.

It was then that little Draco had a wonderful idea! He decided that when he was eleven the first time he would meet Harry Potter he would ask him to kill the Dark Lord as he had done so many years before so everything would return to normal. Harry Potter would certainly agree, Draco knew that the savior of the wizarding world was too nice to refuse helping him. His mother would stop crying then. His father will play with him again.

So it was with eagerness that he accepted his father's order to be friend's with Harry Potter when he was eleven. His father wanted him to convince the boy-who-lived to be a Slytherin, the same house Draco wanted to be, suddenly remembering his son's words four years before. Draco had accepted to do it. It would be the perfect opportunity to meet the boy he admired so much. It would profit both father and son, Draco thought.

He had stretched out his hand to Harry Potter. He had tried to persuade the boy in the only way Draco knew. Harry Potter had opened his mouth to speak and all Draco's hopes had crushed to pieces…

That had been the first time he had been rejected. No one before had said no to him before. He hated Harry Potter because then he had seen the boy for what he truly was. A pathetic bastard who just loved attention and who couldn't care less if others needed his help.

He hated Harry Potter.

He would pay for what he did.

Draco knew what Death Eaters were since he was a little boy, nevertheless he hadn't been so interested in being one of them back them. Draco had found them stupid, a bunch of idiots who followed the Dark Lord like puppies. He didn't want to be one of them because his father had taught him that he was going to be the one in command. When he was seven Lucius told him that he would be proud of him if his son would follow his father's footsteps, but little Draco had just shrugged, not really answering him, and, strangely enough, his father hadn't push him into it again.

Nevertheless Draco had always been interested in Dark Arts. Since he was very young his father had told him a lot about it and Draco liked the feeling he got when making others vulnerable by just pointing his wand at them. It felt great. He felt powerful. He liked it. Too much.

It was the Christmas after he met Harry Potter for the first time that he told his father he wanted to be a Death Eater. He wanted to make Harry Potter pay. He wanted to make Harry Potter vulnerable and weak. His father had smiled at him. Draco hadn't noticed his mother on the verge of tears. In that moment he couldn't care. He wanted to hurt Potter, hurt him as much as he had hurt Draco.

His father had told him that when he thought he was ready to take the Mark he will let Draco know.

"You are too young now, Draco…" his father had told him. "You still have a lot of things to learn before you can make _the_ step…".

Draco had agreed.

From then on his opinion on Death Eaters had changed. They weren't a bunch of idiots anymore. They were heroes that did a lot of cool things. He couldn't wait to be one of them. He couldn't wait to have the upper hand on Potter.

He just couldn't wait.

Draco hadn't understood what a horrible mistake he had done. He saw the errors of his ways too late, when he saw for the first time what Death Eaters truly did, what Voldemort truly could do.

Draco remembered watching Voldemort torture and then kill one of his followers mercilessly because even if he had done what his Lord wanted he hadn't done it properly. The Dark Lord didn't care about his supporters. They were like Draco's old toys: one could broke and ten others would take immediately its place.

Draco was terrified. He wanted to back down.

But it was too late.

And he knew no one would help him escape this hell.

No one.

_Dear son, _

_I'm glad to inform you you are now ready to take _the _step. I hope we can talk about it when you'll return home for the holidays. _

_Your father. _

Sixteen years old Draco clenched the white, expensive piece forcefully in his fists until his knuckles became white. He sat down on the grass before Hogwarts lake and shivered at the meaning of his father's words. He didn't want to do _it _anymore! He didn't want to die!

He hoped he could tell his father this without making him angry but Draco knew that was impossible. Oh, how he wanted to disappear and return back when everything was finished!

Draco furled his father's letter angrily and threw it farther away. He screamed in frustration, glad that no one was out with him in that hour of the day.

"Damn it to hell!" he cursed and punched the soft earth beside him. He wished he could do something, anything, but he knew that if he even tried to run away the Dark Lord won't think twice before killing one or maybe even both of his parents. Suddenly all his anger disappeared and something close to understanding struck him deeply in his chest. He had no choice. They never had…

Suddenly Draco heard someone approaching him and halting abruptly to a stop. He turned furiously to the intruder, ready to holler him away, but every breath in his lungs stopped as his eyes set on the person he least wanted to see in that moment, kneeling down to collect the crumpled piece of paper Draco had carelessly thrown away only a moment before.

"You know it's stupid to toss such personal letters around for anyone to read, don't you?"

Draco stared at the raven haired boy with surprise for a minute before fully understanding what was happening. Harry Potter stood before him in his Quidditch uniform, steadily holding his broom on his left shoulder while curiously studying the paper in his right hand. It was when the Gryffindor made to smooth the letter that Draco finally reacted. The blond boy stood instantly up, ran straight into the other boy and grasped Harry's right hand, forcing it open. But the Gryffindor seeker was way too fast for him. Harry's broom fell down and the raven haired boy tossed the paper to his other hand, taking the blond boy totally by surprise. Harry raised his left hand high, taking advantage of him being slightly taller than Draco.

Draco gave up and made a step back so he could see Harry better straight in the face. Harry smirked at how easy it had been and glanced at the paper in his hand, thinking he had recognized Lucius Malfoy's handwriting.

"You mudbloods have no sense of privacy!" Draco spat heatedly, "Give it back, Scarhead! It's private!". He desperately attempted to grasp Harry's arm again but to no use. "It's not a game!" the blond boy shouted again annoyed.

Harry grunted and tossed the paper back to a more than just taken aback Malfoy. The Slytherin cursed under his breath again and hastily incinerated his father's letter with a flick of his wand.

"Like I didn't know what it was about, anyway…" Harry spat, picking up his broom and checking for damages. Draco stared at him, his fist trembling with anger. Suddenly Harry looked up and emerald crushed with silver in a silent but still loquacious fight. "So…" Harry said then, his words dripping with venom, "I'm sure you can't wait to be your father's shadow…".

Draco wanted to punch the boy then but he restrained himself from doing it.

"You think you know everything, right Potter?" he said then, his blond hair falling perfectly before his face, hiding his enraged eyes.

"Actually I think I do…" Harry said then, "I didn't expect anything less from you, anyway. I'm a hundred percent sure your father trained you to be a Death Eater since you was a little baby. He must be very proud of you following his noble steps so willingly…"

Draco couldn't contain himself anymore. He wanted Potter to leave and let him wallowing in self pity alone while trying to come up with a way out. His punch crushed with Potter's jaw without a warning and Draco smirked at the cracking sound. Potter's eyes darkened at the sudden attack and he started punching the blond boy back with fervor until he trapped Malfoy down, blocking the pale's boy hands with his own.

Harry was shocked to see Malfoy's eyes turn abruptly to him with a look of pure hatred in them. He wanted to get away from that loathing gaze but decided to remain where he was instead.

"What are you so angry about, you idiot!" Harry exclaimed. His face was hurting badly and he thought his nose was bleeding, he was happy to see that Malfoy too was in a no better state than his. Malfoy struggled and tried to push the other boy away. He couldn't. Harry Potter was stronger.

"What? Cat got your tongue?" Harry continued then, amused. Malfoy looked up at him and calmed down.

"You are so lucky…" Draco said then. It was nothing but a whisper but Harry heard him loud and clear. He was taken aback by the statement and he stared down at Draco's usually cold eyes for answers but Malfoy didn't talk.

"Bullshit!" Harry exclaimed as a new sense of anger overtook him. "I wish I could decide my future like you do… idiot…!".

Harry was surprised by his sincere words but the resigned gaze in his rival's eyes had been the last straw. Harry didn't know why he was so angry. He should have left before Malfoy had punched him but he knew that if he had the choice he wouldn't have return back to his common room anyway. Draco Malfoy did something to him that Harry couldn't explain. It made him want to affront the other boy, stalk him, talk to him in a desperate attempt to know him better. It was as if Harry unconsciously wanted to solve the mystery behind those cold eyes. He had wanted to since that day at Madame Malkin's where he had met that arrogant and beautiful boy for the first time but all he had achieved till then were nothing more than disappointments and empty words. And now, with Draco pinned down under him, he was going to finally find something out.

So why, for Merlin's beard, he wanted to run away as fast as he could?

"You ungrateful bastard!" Malfoy suddenly exclaimed, "What do you want? Don't you already have everything everyone wants?"

Harry enquired his eyebrows.

"You have everything! Fame, fortune, attention! Everyone cares about you and you even dare to complain about it!" Draco yelled at him, trying to set himself free from Harry's grasp. "You have friends…! Damn you, son of a bitch! Let me GO!"

"You are the lucky one here, asshole!", Harry heart beat angrily against his chest. He wanted to hurt Malfoy so much! His grip on the other's wrists tightened. "Do you think I like the attention? Do you think I like to be seen as the savior of the wizarding world? My parents died because of me! Can't you understand what that makes me feel?"

"At least your parents had a choice!" the words left Draco's mouth before the boy couldn't actually realize what he had done. Harry's hands left his rival's ones as if burned. He looked down at Draco's face but the blond boy's face was cold, neutral. Harry suddenly wished he could see past it.

"What are you on about?" Harry whispered but then decided he didn't want to know. Or maybe he already did but he couldn't quite comprehend the implications.

Harry knew that something had happened and he realized that Draco too had noticed. For the first time both of them had opened their hearts to the world to see but they couldn't believe they had done it before their supposed enemy.

Every certainty Harry had till a moment ago broke apart and, as he stood up letting Draco finally free, he realized that he didn't know the boy so well after all.

In the meantime Draco slowly stood up, brushing away the dust from his robes, as if his lip wasn't bleeding, as if he wasn't hurt. Draco avoided Harry's eyes and made to return to the castle. He didn't want to look at Potter, afraid that his mouth would open without his permission, asking questions of which the answers he didn't really want to know.

Draco suddenly realized that his every move had been centered on Potter. Every word he had spoken, everything he had done had been for Potter, or, better yet, for the Potter he thought he knew.

Draco should have known, really. He had thought that his decision of being a Death Eater had concerned Potter too but now he knew that even that hadn't been his choice. Even if he and the raven haired boy had actually become friends his destiny would have been the same. He had no choice whatsoever. If he wanted to live, if his family wanted to live, he couldn't do but follow the Dark Lord. No one could save him.

Draco was already far away from Harry Potter when the boy-who-lived talked again. Draco stopped in his tracks at the question but did not turn around.

"What is it like to have parents?" Harry had asked bluntly, blushing a little.

Harry had wanted to ask someone this question for quite some time. He hadn't dare to ask his friends because he knew they would lie to him about it, telling him that it wasn't really so wonderful, just to make him feel better. He didn't want their pity. He wanted someone who was cold towards him, who wouldn't be afraid to hurt him by telling him the absolute truth. Harry didn't know if that was the right time to ask such questions but the words he and Malfoy had spoken till a moment before had made him hope that this time Malfoy wouldn't make fun of him.

He was wrong.

"Jealous, Potter?" Draco said and smirked at him before disappearing inside the castle. Harry humph-ed annoyed but a smile appeared on his lips. Guess he will never understand Malfoy fully…

It was a fact that Harry Potter hated Potions but this year he couldn't really loath the subject so much. It helped a lot that Snape didn't teach Potion anymore and that Professor Slughorn, who had a soft spot for the green eyed boy, had taken his place. But the thing that really had make the difference was that Half Blood Prince's book, which helped him a lot regardless of what Hermione said. The perfection of his Potions had risen dramatically and even Malfoy envied them.

He glanced back at Draco for a moment and at the look of pure resentment in the other's boy eyes Harry showed him childishly the tongue. Draco responded with a rude gesture of his middle finger. Both of them, though, were hiding a smile.

Since the day the two had talked something had happened between them. It was as if a door had opened but neither of them had the courage to cross the threshold and discover what was hided on the other side. They both had a bad feeling about it. Both of them knew that if they crossed the door everything would change. In what, they didn't know.

Suddenly a crumpled piece of paper hit Harry square on the shoulder. The Gryffindor looked around him in search of the culprit but everyone was working on their potion. He shrugged and picked it up from the floor without Slughorn seeing him. He looked around him once again and proceeded to read.

There, in perfect handwriting, was written:

_It feels safe, I guess…_

_D.M. _

Harry abruptly looked back at Draco stirring his potion and talking to his friend on his left. The blond boy wasn't looking at him. But Harry thought he saw him glance a little back. He smiled.


	2. Scent

"_Nothing is more memorable than a smell. One scent can be unexpected, momentary and fleeting, yet conjure up a childhood summer beside a lake in the mountains_" _Diane Ackerman_

Scent

"Relax, Hermione! Jeez, it's not like we are going to _die_ or something!" Ron suddenly exclaimed crossing his hands behind his head in what Harry knew was his you-are-so-annoying-sometimes posture. Hermione abruptly stopped ranting on and on about McGonagall's next assignment and shoot him her most poisonous look.

Harry knew that Ron was in a fix. Ron didn't seem to notice, though and Harry prayed for him to get out of this mess alive and, most of all, with his privates absolutely intact. Gryffindor's Common Room was strangely empty that time of the morning, except for some first years talking quietly about Snape's class in a corner of the room and Harry wondered what Hermione would give them so they would not speak if Ron _accidentally_ died.

'Free lessons, perhaps…' Harry snickered to himself.

"Ron…" Hermione suddenly began in her I-am-trying-not-to-kill-you voice that made even Death Eaters coward, spelling her words slowly and clearly: "This assignment is very important. We must get at least an Outstanding if we want to have the right to hold the final exams…".

Hermione stared at Ron in silence, waiting for his next move, and at the sight of her look Harry wanted nothing more than stand up and ran as far away as his legs could carry him. He hoped that Ron wouldn't do something stupid.

In the meantime Ron looked at Hermione and his lips risked twitching in a scowl but then thought better of it.

"I'm sorry…" the red haired finally said.

It was nothing but a whisper and Harry remembered having heard that tone of voice just some weeks before, from another mouth, in another circumstances. Images of gold hair and silver eyes flashed in his mind but Harry shooed the thought immediately away. Harry looked at Hermione instead, smiling brightly at herself. She stood up from her chair, books in hand, and nodded approvingly at Ron.

"Good! Now let's go…" she said, placing her bag on her right shoulder, "McGonagall's is going to pair us up for this project and I really can't wait to see with whom I am going to work with for the rest of the month…" and without expecting some kind of an answer she quickly exited the Common Room.

Ron and Harry stared open mouthed at each other.

"Pair us up?" Ron was the first to recover. Harry shrugged and motioned Ron to follow their female best friend.

"I hope you already know that this assignment is going to have an influence in your final mark…" McGonagall said, handing instructions to the students as she spoke. "I am now going to pair you for the project...".

Harry looked at Ron, hoping to be paired with his best friend, and he saw that Ron was thinking along those lines as well. He then looked at the Slytherins on the other side of the room, talking, not really paying attention at McGonagall's lesson. For a moment his eyes rested on a certain blond haired boy, who felt his gaze immediately and, turning around, smirked at him. Harry didn't except anything else from Draco Malfoy.

Suddenly he felt Hermione elbowing him to pay attention and Harry turned around to McGonagall's once more.

"Longbottom Neville and Devis Tracey…"

Neville jumped at the sound of his name and he looked around in search of his partner when a pale, brown haired, Slytherin witch sat down beside him with a disgusted look on her face. Neville blushed a little in anger but didn't say a word.

"Thomas Dean and Bulstrode Millicent…"

"Good luck, mate!" Seamus whispered to his friend.

"Weasley Ron and Greengrass Daphne…"

Harry looked at Ron as he slowly stood up from his place to go sit with the Slytherin girl. Ron smiled a little to him and Harry understood that Ron planned to make the girl's life a living hell till the end of the project.

"Granger Hermione and Malfoy Draco…" McGonagall said then. Hermione's head shot up and she looked at Harry helpless. Harry looked at Draco then and saw that he was laughing with the rest of his Slytherin's friends. He knew that they were already making fun of Hermione and he glanced at Ron, sitting on the other side of the room, and shared with him an understanding look.

Draco smirked disgusted as the muggle-born sat timidly beside him.

"Potter Harry and Parkinson Pansy…" McGonagall's said soon after. Harry looked at the pug faced girl sitting behind Draco and he thought that was the perfect opportunity to check that Hermione would be okay. Harry quickly stood up and sat beside the Slytherin girl.

"I don't want any troubles and I don't want to get a T because of you, got it?" Pansy said as soon as he sat down. Harry looked at her and scowled.

"The same goes for you…"

Pansy humph-ed at him and stuck her nose up in the air. Harry couldn't do but roll his eyes at her.

"I don't understand what McGonagall's is thinking! Pairing me up with a _mudblood_…"

Harry's eyes immediately drifted to the pair before him. Draco was smirking superiorly at Hermione as the witch tried with all her might to ignore him. Draco's friends, including Pansy, started to laugh. Harry couldn't see what Hermione's face was like but he noticed her knuckles turn white as she clutched her paper with the instructions with more force than was strictly necessary.

"Strangely enough I would have preferred to be paired with the Weasel, even if he is poor and dirty, at least he is a pureblood…"

"Malfoy, stop calling Hermione that!" Harry hissed and the blond haired boy finally looked at him. Nothing have changed, Harry thought, whatever we could have told to each other is history. Nothing has changed! Harry repeated to himself over and over again. He knew he shouldn't hope Draco to suddenly turn nice to him because he let slip he didn't want to be a Death Eater, because, really, that kind of information wouldn't make them stop hating each other. They both knew that.

"What? Isn't she that just that? A _mudblood_? I tend to call _things_ by their names, I'm sorry if it bothers you so much…"

Draco looked at him for a moment, every emotion clear in his silver eyes. And suddenly Harry understood that he had been the first one to see behind the mask, even if he couldn't realize what it meant, and that Draco hated him for it. The strange and terrifying sense of understanding flickered for the slightest of moments in Harry's heart before flying away as Draco shut his emotions once again to Harry.

Harry's fist was ready.

"Harry, please, let it go…" Hermione was suddenly whispering to him, begging him not to punch the other boy, and Harry nodded once.

"Oh, and Pansy…" Draco unexpectedly said, turning around to the Slytherin girl. "I'm so sorry you have to share your mark with scum like Potter…"

Pansy nodded at him and smiled. Draco looked at Harry straight in the face as he started to pronounce his next words:

"Clearly McGonagall had spend too much of her life with Dumbledore and his mad antics for her to pair you up with a stray like Potter. Someone who doesn't even know the face of his paren…!"

Hermione screamed and the scent of blood filled the air. Draco grabbed his bloody nose but his eyes were fixed on Harry's ones.

"Oh, Draco! Are you hurt? Draco?" Pansy was trying to take a look at his damaged nose but the Slytherin didn't let her. Harry stared at him.

"Mr. Potter! Mr. Malfoy!" McGonagall was shouting, clearly upset at her favorite student behavior. "Detention! Both of you! For creating havoc in my class when it wasn't necessary!"

Harry looked at his enraged Transfiguration's teacher and sat down on his chair. Pansy shot him a disapproving look as Draco was lead to the infirmary to fix his nose. Hermione looked at him, feeling guilty.

"I'm sorry, Harry…" Hermione said, her eyes started to water. Harry shook his head and tried to smile.

"No, it's not your fault…" Harry said, "If I wasn't so hot-tempered…"

"Well, yeah…" Hermione said, avoiding his eyes. "That would have helped…"

"Gryffindors!" Pansy exclaimed, crossing her arms before her chest.

"Serves him right!" Ron exclaimed putting a hand around Harry's shoulders. "Oh, how I wished to be in your place!"

"Ron!" Hermione cried out, "That kind of behavior is simply unacceptable! I told you to let him go, Harry!"

Harry looked at Hermione's still guilty look. Hermione still felt responsible for what had happened, regardless that both Ron and Harry had tried to change her point of view with all the means possible. The brown haired witch fiddled with her robe's sleeve, clearly trying to decide if continuing to haul Harry over the coals or stopping there. Fortunately for Harry and Ron she picked the second option.

"At least she didn't take any points from Gryffindor …" Hermione whispered. Ron nodded and his smiled widened.

"As if McGonagall would take points from her own house!" Ron laughed.

"She neither took Slytherin any points, thought…" Harry suddenly said and Ron's face fell. Hermione looked at her two friends and smiled a little to herself.

"Malfoy is such a git…" Harry whispered then, "I hate him so much…"

"I'm glad you broke his nose!" Ron said and patted Harry on the back.

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Sorry!".

Harry laughed.

It was after dinner, in the Great Hall, that Harry and Draco saw each other again. McGonagall looked at them with absolute discontent as they casted fuming glances at each other when they thought the other wasn't looking. Thinking that this kind of behavior was totally childish, the Animagus coughed loudly to get the two boys attention. Emerald and silver crashed with each other one last time before turning their heads to their Transfiguration's teacher.

"You are going to clean this place…" McGonagall said, looking at them straight in the eyes, "From top to bottom! And…!" she continued as Draco opened his mouth to protest, "…without any magic!"

Harry smirked at Draco, sure that the second boy had never cleaned a room in his life, and took the offered broom with a smile.

'This is going to be easy…' Harry thought remembering all the times the Dursleys made him clean their house, sometimes even twice, because Aunt Petunia thought he didn't do it well enough.

Draco fumed and turned his own broom in his hands, wondering how in hell he should hold it so it could clean properly. He shot a look at Potter and he eyes twitched in annoyance as the boy-who-lived had already started his part.

"Detention will be over at nine o'clock!" McGonagall said then, "Remember! The Great Hall must sparkle till then…" and with that she closed the huge, wooden doors behind her.

Harry started to whistle just to piss Draco off more and he grinned at himself when the blond boy growled in annoyance, starting to wrestle with his own share of cleaning. Harry didn't bother with him anymore and continued to work, wishing detention was already over.

An hour passed when Harry realized that something wasn't right. He looked around him in search of the irritating noise and it took him some minutes to understand that it's source was no other than Malfoy. Harry turned his head to Malfoy and realized that the Slytherin hadn't moved an inch from the place he had been standing when detention had started. The strange part was that Draco was sweeping, or trying at least, but he was doing in a way that everything but cleaning could be called. Dust was falling all around him and Harry tried hard not to laugh at the determination on Draco's face.

Seeing that his share of room was partially done, Harry let his broom down and approached Draco with a grin.

"Having a hard time?" Harry said and laughed a little as Draco jumped in fright. The blond boy recomposed himself immediately, though, and continued "sweeping" with more force than before.

"Fuck you, Potter…" Draco said.

"You are going to break your perfect nails if you continue like that…" Harry smiled, enjoying himself.

"Since when do you care about my nails?" Draco said, "Now, fuck off, Potter…"

"You are doing all wrong, you know?" Harry continued. Draco growled in frustration and hardly restrained himself from smacking his broom on the raven boy's face.

"Fuck off!"

"Let me help you…" Harry said and before Draco could say something in remark he felt Harry's arms encircle his body. Draco's face was deep red as he felt Harry's hands on his own, taking control of his movements for the time being. Draco stared as Harry's hands moved the broom gently around, showing the blond boy the right way to use a broom.

"You shouldn't stay on the same spot for more than a minute…" Harry said. Draco felt shivers ran down his spine as Harry's breath caress his neck. He felt Harry's scent all over him and for a moment Draco thought of pure air and… a longing of freedom?

"…okay?" Harry spoke again and Draco felt his cheeks burn up. He immediately shook Harry off him and started to clean the floor again. He didn't dare to turn around, not with his face so red, and screeched:

"Yeah, okay! Now…" he sighed, "…fuck off…"

If Draco had turned around in that moment he would have seen that Harry wasn't in a better condition either. Harry stared at Draco's back a little, red in the face, thinking why in hell he had done _that _and moved to the spot he had left his own broom lying around.

They didn't talk anymore.

"Detention's over…" McGonagall simply said, nodding appreciatively as her eyes traveled around the room. Harry and Draco sighed happily and without a word exited the Great Hall together.

The walked side by side, without uttering a single word for a couple of moments before one of them couldn't take the silence anymore and decided to break the embarrassment:

"It's your fault, you know? Why did you have to punch me!" Draco said then and shot Harry a dirty look. Harry stopped in mid track and looked at Draco with wide eyes.

"What?" Harry exclaimed, not really believing Draco's words. "You were the one who started it! Calling Hermione a mud-blood!"

Draco smirked at him and crossed his arms against his chest.

"Why it's bothers you so much? Afraid of the truth?" he asked, raising his eyebrows in challenge. Harry fumed and shot Draco a deathly look but the blond boy wasn't affected at all.

"It bothers me because she is my best friend. I don't think you would understand, anyway…" Harry said but Draco didn't even flinch.

"What would you do for your friends, Potter?" Draco said, coming closer to Harry. Harry raised his eyebrows in surprise. He watched as Draco approached him, curiosity visible on his grey eyes. "Would you _die_ for them?"

Harry didn't answer but Draco, totally misunderstanding his silence, smirked at him.

"So you are not willing to lose your life for someone who needs help…" Draco said then.

"I'm willing to help anyone who needs me…" was Harry's simple answer. Draco's eyes darkened and he abruptly turned around, his knuckles turning white.

"Bullshit!"

"What?"

The sound of steps interrupted their strange conversation and they both turned around to the source of the noise.

"Severus I don't think that a surprise test is necessary for someone of their level…" a squeaking voice said and Harry's eyes widened. Draco looked at his rival as Harry grabbed his arm.

"What are you doing?" Draco hissed at him. Harry didn't pay him any attention and searched for a place to hide instead. Harry noticed a broom closet on the other side of the corridor and dragged Draco with him.

"What are you doing, you idiot?" Draco exclaimed and Harry shot him a dirty look.

"Shut up! Or Snape going to find us and I really don't want another detention right now!"

"Snape? But Snape doesn't…" Draco tried to say and struggled to free himself.

"Yeah, I know! But that is because you are a Slytherin!" was Harry laconic answer and pushed Draco into the closet. He followed immediately after and remained behind the door, listening. The two men approached and then continued down the corridor, their steps slowly vanishing.

Harry sighed in relief and looked in the darkness behind him. Inside the closet was so dark that Harry couldn't even see the tip of his nose, imagine Draco's silhouette. It was a squeak that alarmed Harry of the other's boy presence.

"Malfoy?" he called in the darkness and the swish of robes was his only answer.

"Potter… are you there?". Draco's voice was a terrified whisper and Harry knew that the blond boy was trying with all his strength not to show it.

"Well, yeah…" Harry said, searching in the darkness. He felt a hand approach him, trying to find him. Harry raised his eyebrows: "Are you afraid of darkness, Malfoy?" his tone was amused like it was a joke but when his eyes finally adjusted to the dark he saw that Draco's hand was trembling.

"No, I'm not!" Draco exclaimed, "Damn you, where are you? I can't see you!" Draco's voice raised an octave and Harry's heart started to beat furiously in his chest. Seeing Draco being so vulnerable made him feel strangely protective of the boy. Without thinking twice Harry took the other boy's hand and pulled him closer. He felt Draco's sigh of relief on him as the blond boy hid his face on the crook of Harry's neck. Harry embraced Draco tight and he was too taken aback to talk as his shirt felt strangely damp.

"Nothing is going to hurt you, I promise…" Harry whispered then, not really understanding why he was bothering. Draco didn't move. "It's just you and me…".

Draco's scent filled his nostrils and Harry found himself liking it. It was so simple, it wasn't what expected Draco scent to be like. It was…

It was…

Soft.

Harry's embrace tensed and pulled Draco even closer.

It took Draco's a little more than ten minutes to calm down but Harry couldn't care less.

"Just you and me…" he continued to whisper over and over again and when Draco finally found the strength to move, Harry opened the closet's door and let them out.

Draco didn't look at him, afraid that Harry would make fun of him. He turned around, hiding his red face. Harry stared at Draco's back and wondered why his heart was still beating so much it hurt.

"Don't tell anyone…" Draco said after a moment and Harry looked at him, staring at Draco's blond hair, wondering what it would feel like to run his fingers through them. "And I promise…" Draco stopped and finally looked at him. "I promise I won't call Granger a mud-blood again, at least not till the day the project ends…"

"You don't need to promise…" Harry said then. "I won't tell… I…", Draco shook his head.

"I feel safer like that…" and with that he left for the Dungeons.


	3. Touch

"_Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back. Those who wish to sing always find a song. At the touch of a lover, everyone becomes a poet."__ Plato. _

Touch

Harry wasn't a normal fifteen old boy, that was a fact everyone knew, and he had seen so many things in his short life that even the most improbable, incredible, impossible thing felt like routine to him. Until that moment, if asked, Harry would have replied that no, nothing does surprise me anymore.

But that was before yesterday. Yesterday he had felt on his skin what the phrase "never say never" really meant. Harry had felt what being surprised felt like and the person who welcomed him in that world was no other than his rival.

Draco Malfoy had actually kept his promise and that was something Harry had never thought would see. But that wasn't all! If it had Harry would had feel guilty for thinking that Malfoy was incapable of keeping his promises and, if he has to be totally sincere with himself, Harry did feel guilty for thinking such things. However, Malfoy had done more than that, because since the project started, or better, since he had made that stupid promise, or deal, or whatever the hell was, Malfoy had started talking to Hermione normally and even called her by her name once.

"Could you pass me those lizard's tails, Hermione?" Draco had asked, making everyone (and even if Snape didn't want to admit it, him too) to stop what they were doing and turn around to look at them. Hermione's face had became ten shades of red from all the attention she was getting and the only one who didn't seem to care was Malfoy himself. She glanced at Harry for a second before trying to shrug it of and said:

"Sure…"

Hermione then turned around to Ron and silently asked with her eyes if she had been dreaming but the red-head could only shrug at her.

"He has been really nice to me…" Hermione was saying in that moment, pulling Harry away from his memories, as the three of them walked together to their next lesson. "I never thought I would see this day and I'm quite proud of him, actually…"

"He won't do it forever, Hermione…" Harry decided to say, "Trust me on this. When this project ends Malfoy will call you a mudblood again…"

Hermione looked at him and enquired her brown eyebrow.

"Do you know something about it?" she asked and Harry cursed himself for forgetting that Hermione was too much of a smart girl not to read between the lines.

"I'm sure it's just to get everyone's attention…" Harry quickly said. "Didn't you see how everyone's looks at him now that he started act… _civilly _with you?"

"I bet he loves it…" Ron chirped in. "Harry's right. As soon as Malfoy gets fed up with this game, Hermione, he will wait behind a corner to spit at you…"

"I don't think Malfoy would…" Hermione started, disgusted at Ron for thinking such. Harry sighed and thanked Ron for changing the topic because he really didn't want to tell them why exactly Malfoy was acting that way. He would break his own part of the deal if he did so (seriously, why Malfoy had called it such? Distrustful brat) and Harry didn't want to feel inferior to Malfoy.

Or was it because you want to keep that night for yourself? Something in his mind asked him, smirking knowingly at him and made Harry immediately picture Draco's face, terrified and so lonely it made Harry's heart stop beating. That soft scent impregnated his mind and Harry suddenly felt dizzy and… dare he say it? In need to feel it again. For a second Harry wanted nothing more than find Draco and hold him close, as he had done that night, body against body. To touch again…

It lasted a moment but it was enough to make Harry feel ashamed of himself and, strangely enough, a little confused too. A strange mix, Harry thought and the raven wondered if he had finally snapped.

"Are you okay, Harry?" Ron asked and Harry was suddenly aware of his best friend waving at his face. Harry blinked at Ron's scowl and internally shaking himself awake, opened his mouth to blurt out the first lie he could think. A voice talked in his place, however, mocking and wicked making both Ron and Harry to turn abruptly around and stare at it's owner.

"Potter! Did you remember you don't have a mummy again?" Draco Malfoy shouted, surrounded by his friends, as they happened to walk down the same corridor when Harry and his two best friends were standing. Draco's followers snickered and repeated the word 'orphan' over and over, drying fake tears from their eyes. Draco laughed loudly and the group of Slytherins walked away, completely ignoring the looks the trio of friends was giving them.

Harry, from his part, let out a long sigh and massaged his temple with his fingers. All he could think was that he really had finally snapped, because it wasn't normal that until a moment before he had been daydreaming about that bastard…

"They are so immature…" Hermione sniffed and put a hand on Harry's right shoulder. "Yeah, you are right. I shouldn't have ever felt proud of him…"

"See, Hermione?" Ron said then and the three of them started moving as one to their next lesson, for a moment forgetting what had happened. Only Harry dared to look back in the direction Malfoy and his friends had gone and he thought he saw Draco staring at him from the end of the hall but the blond boy disappeared around the corner before Harry could certify his identity.

/a\

In the end it all came to this.

Maybe that is what they call Destiny.

That no matter what your decision is, no matter what paths you are going to take and no matter what you think about it, in the end it all comes to one conclusion. For Draco it was to become a Death Eater.

He knew his parents had wanted him to have a normal life and that was why they had taught him to be the leader of a situation. They had never expected Voldermort to return, no matter if they claimed otherwise, and they didn't believe their past would come to haunt them again, the terror of not knowing if the day they were living it was going to be their last. The fear of saying something not wanted and the fear to fail.

Draco wasn't supposed to live those emotions. In the end he had to because Voldemort was back, the War still wasn't over and there were some things that the Malfoys, as Malfoys, had to do and Draco was part of it, no matter what he said.

Many had tried to run away, some because in the end they didn't believe all the things their Lord said, others just from the plain fear of the end, but everyone of them had eventually failed. Draco wasn't stupid to risk it and anyway, if he ran and in some way managed to get free, his parents would suffer.

Draco didn't have the will or the courage to do betray his own parents. If they died, there was no way he would take it.

In the end it all came to this.

That was his Destiny.

That was all he could think about as Draco read again and again the letter his father had send him so long ago.

The sky was blue, so in contrast with the way he felt in that moment, and the birds laughed quietly, hid from Draco's view, mocking him. Suddenly a movement pushed Draco out of his thoughts and quickly pushed the letter back into his robe's pockets.

Harry turned to look at Draco as if he had just noticed him and Draco's frown deepened. They stood in silent, staring at each other, when suddenly Draco stood up to walk away.

"You don't have to act like that to Hermione…" Harry abruptly said and Draco stopped in his movements.

"To treat Granger well was part of the promise…" Draco shrugged and then smirked down on Harry, "What? Do you prefer I call her a mudblood again?"

"You don't have to do it if you don't want to, that's all…" Harry said. "I could…"

"You could do what, Potter?"

Both knew, deep inside, that they weren't really talking about Hermione but something else, bigger than both of them combined. They stared at each other in the eye, as if that will make them both the other better.

"It's just… I understand what it's like to do something you don't want to…" Harry said and his voice became hesitant. In the end Harry made up his mind and he nodded at himself before opening his mouth to continue but Draco beat him to it:

"So why do _you _do it?" Draco asked, "If you hate it so damn much, why do _you _do it?"

Harry stared at the blond boy, who smirked at him as if he had won a match. Harry scowled but then his features became softer and he found himself to smile sadly. It didn't go unnoticed to Draco.

"Because I must… because no matter what I might do, it would always come to this, and if I run away, I might lose everything…"

Draco's face was impassible and Harry couldn't really read in the other's eye what Malfoy was thinking about. Unexpectedly Draco made a step forward and Harry felt himself hold his breath, waiting for what, he really didn't know. But in the end Draco did nothing. The Slytherin stopped and turned his back to Harry.

"You are so stupid!" Draco laughed and walked quietly away, back into the castle. "Your Hero Complex is starting to get on my nerves!" Draco shouted after a second and Harry stared at his retreating figure, once again feeling a headache coming.

"You are such a bastard!" Harry shouted back.

"Coming from you it's a compliment!" Draco spat and then Harry saw him enter the castle.

In the end it all came to this.

Harry had already understood what his Destiny wanted from him. The only thing he wasn't sure was if he would be able to do it. Will he die? Will someone get hurt? He didn't want to think that by the end of the War someone could sigh his last breath.

Harry liked to think he would save everyone and many years later he would realize how naïve he had been from even hoping such a thing. For now he just had a taste, as he watched Draco walking away from him.

Harry and Draco weren't so different after all, both too stubborn to ask for help, both of them caring too much to. They will have to fight against each other but in the same time they wanted nothing more than reach out for each other.

And if they both made a step forward they would had feel the tip of the other's finger. But in the end they were too scared of making that step or maybe Destiny didn't want them to just yet, having in mind greater plans for them.

\a/

"Finally the last lesson of the day!" Ron exclaimed, stretching his arms up to the sky while in one hand held his Charm's book. "Merlin knows how much I need a good rest!" he added then and grinned at Harry, who was walking right beside him.

Hermione huffed from behind them, trying to balance the pack of books she was holding in her arms: "What about homework, Ron?"

"We have time for that!" the red head groaned, starting the same argument for the millionth time that day. Harry snickered as Hermione started to explain how much better is to finish homework first and decided to help his best friend pointing out that McGonagall was going to be pissed if they were late. Hermione shut up then and hastened her step, surpassing them both in a matter of seconds.

"Thanks, mate…" Ron said and quickly entered McGonagall's class, just right after Hermione did. Harry was the last one to arrive and as soon as he stepped inside the room he noticed that every seat had been taken. Ron was searching for him and as soon as he spotted his messy raven hair Ron waved maniacally at him, pointing to a strangely empty seat just on Ron's right. Harry quickly made to get that place but unfortunately a grinning Slytherin sat right where Ron was pointing at.

Ron said something to the Slytherin that Harry couldn't hear but knew wasn't something pleasant. Harry didn't want any arguments in that moment, not with McGonagall somewhere watching close by, and so shouted, covering the Slytherin's words: "Never mind, Ron! I'll find another seat!"

Harry knew Ron had heard him because he abruptly turned around, gaped at him and then looked down on the whistling Slytherin boy, innocently playing with the cover of hi book. Harry sighed as Hermione smiled at him, her eyes showing how guilty and sorry she felt, and pulled Ron to sit down.

All the seats were taken and McGonagall had already entered the classroom. Harry looked around and suddenly he spotted an empty seat. Harry sat down and soon after he immediately regretted doing so as beside him sat, as arrogantly as ever, non other than Draco Malfoy.

Harry had to talk to him since that encounter outside Hogwart's castle when Harry had finally had the courage to open his heart and even tried to help the blond aristocrat out and Draco had done nothing else than all out refuse him.

Harry had expected Draco to refuse him, of course, because deep down he knew how much stubborn the both of them could be, but that didn't mean that their next encounter wouldn't be awkward. But since that day every encounter they had had not only been awkward, it had been _cold_. Draco didn't insult him anymore, didn't even acknowledge him anymore and it was starting to feel really weird.

Draco Malfoy didn't talk and Harry couldn't see how much his proximity was affecting the other boy too. Draco felt his stomach twist and suddenly he couldn't take Harry's green eyes anymore and he looked away, straight where McGonagall was standing. The lesson started and no word of acknowledgment was said.

Harry on the other couldn't stand the cold way Draco was acting and was taken aback by the fact the Slytherin Prince hadn't insulted him yet and just sat right beside Harry as if there was no one near him. Harry didn't hear what McGonagall was saying, he really couldn't concentrate on the lesson. Harry tried to scribble something on his book and once again he was happy Hermione wasn't there to scold him and elbow him on the ribs, hard might he add, to pay attention.

All he could feel in that moment was that Draco was near him and he wanted to tell him so many things because he had been thinking about so many things since they had talked for the last time and he thought he had understood so many things that he couldn't wonder if he had read between the lines well anymore. At the same time Harry didn't think it was a good idea to say a word and it was not because of they were in class.

Harry looked at Draco's face, who seemed to actually being paying attention, and with his eyes drew the other's profile. His forehead. His straight nose. His lips…

It had taken a lot of time for Harry to realize that he could perfectly imagine Draco's features with his eyes closed. He knew all Draco's antics by heart, he knew when he was lying and when he was sincerely happy and when Draco was anxious he knew the blond boy had the habit to lightly chew his bottom lip. Harry couldn't really understand why he could understand Draco so much and for years he had thought it was normal for him to have noticed such small things because Harry and Draco spend so much time together, in Quidditch and in class. But then again Ron hadn't and he too spent a lot of time with Draco in class.

Then Harry had read that letter and Draco had said those meaningless for someone else words and Harry had understood. He had always been interested in the boy but he couldn't still understand what that implied exactly.

The fact that Draco wasn't interested in him back bothered Harry in a way he couldn't really put his finger on. The way Draco acted so cold to him it got on Harry's nerves. Was it because he had found out Draco was scared of the darkness? Was it because he had read that stupid letter without his permission? Or was it because Harry had actually got too close to Draco's real façade and had scared him?

Whatever it was Harry need to talk to Draco, even if it was something stupid, even to just hear Draco call him 'Scarhead' or simply 'asshole' again. Not this _coldness_. Not now that he came so close to actually understand Draco.

Harry took his eyes off from Draco's pale face and felt angry at himself for feeling like that. Why did he care about Draco anyway? He should be happy that he didn't talk to him anymore! Harry had finally something less to worry about what with the Order and all.

Harry groaned and left his pen on his open and doodled all over book. He dropped his arms and let them dangle to the side as he tried to focus again on what McGonagall was saying.

Suddenly he felt something brush his hand and Harry looked down to see two pale fingers holding one of his own. Harry followed the hand, up to the arm and into Draco's face, who still wasn't looking at him but Harry thought he was blushing, albeit lightly.

Harry felt his heart start beating madly as his hand moved on his own accord and pulled closer Draco's one until they fingers entwined. The touch was so light and it felt so warm it made Harry dizzy as he stared at the contrast between his tanned fingers and Draco's pale ones.

It took just a touch to make everything else so unimportant. In a moment McGonagall didn't exist anymore, they weren't in a class anymore and the world too didn't matter. It was just the two of them.

Draco slowly found the courage to turn around slightly at Harry and the Boy-who-lived gazed again in Draco's silver eyes. They stared at each other and the touch became a real hold.

What is the meaning of this? Draco's eyes were saying and Harry could read the confusion in that pale and beautiful face. Harry felt Draco trying to let go but the raven hold him where he was.

Don't run away from me anymore… Harry thought and even if Draco tried once again to let go of his hand, the blond gave up soon after. They gazed at each other some more, searching answers none of them could find, before they decided to look back to McGonagall, their fingers staying where they should.


End file.
